Internet
As Internet usage increases, the amount of information available on the Internet also increases. The information that exists on the Internet is of many different types, including documents in many formats such as: computer software, databases, discussion lists, electronic journals, library catalogues, online information services, mailing lists, news groups, streaming media, and the like. Fortunately, much of the information on the Internet can be accessed through the World-Wide Web using a web browser to interact with the network in a user-friendly way.
Networks
Networks are commonly thought to consist of the interconnection and interoperation of clients, servers, and intermediary nodes in a graph topology. It should be noted that the term “server” as used herein refers generally to a computer, other device, software, or combination thereof that processes and responds to the requests of remote users across a communications network. Servers serve their information to requesting “clients.” A computer, other device, software, or combination thereof that facilitates, processes information and requests, and/or furthers the passage of information from a source user to a destination user is commonly referred to as a “node.” Networks are generally thought to facilitate the transfer of information from source points to destinations.
Transmission Control Protocol-Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
The proliferation and expansion of computer systems, databases, and networks of computers has been facilitated by an interconnection of such systems and networks in an extraterritorial communications network commonly referred to as the Internet. The Internet has developed and largely employs the Transmission Control Protocol-Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). _TCP/IP was developed by a Department of Defense (DoD) research project to interconnect networks made by various and varying network vendors as a foundation for a network of networks; i.e., the Internet. The development of TCP/IP was in part driven by a requirement by the DoD to have a network that will continue to operate even if damaged during battle, thus allowing for information to be routed around damaged portions of the communications network to destination addresses. Of course, if the source or destination address location itself is rendered inoperable, such delivery will not be possible.
The Internet is a packet-switched network and thus, information on the Internet is broken up into pieces, called packets, and transmitted in packet form. The packets contain IP addressing information called headers, which are used by routers to facilitate the delivery of the packets from a source to a destination across intermediary nodes on the Internet. Upon arrival at the destination, the packets are reassembled to form the original message, and any missing packets are requested again.
The IP component of the protocol is responsible for routing packets of information based on a four byte addressing mechanism; the address is written as four numbers separated by dots, each number ranging from 0 to 255, e.g., “123.255.0.123”. IP addresses are assigned by Internet authorities and registration agencies, and are unique.
The TCP portion of the protocol is used for verifying that packets of information are correctly received by the destination computer from the source, and if not, to retransmit corrupt packets. Other transmission control protocols are also commonly used that do not guarantee delivery, such as User Datagram Protocol (UDP).
World Wide Web
The proliferation and expansion of the Internet, and particularly the World Wide Web (the web), have resulted in a vast and diverse collection of information. Various user interfaces that facilitate the interaction of users with information technology systems (i.e., people using computers) are currently in use. An information navigation interface called WorldWideWeb.app (the web) was developed in late 1990. Subsequently, information navigation interfaces such as web browsers have become widely available on almost every computer operating system platform.
Generally, the web is the manifestation and result of a synergetic interoperation between user interfaces (e.g., web browsers), servers, distributed information, protocols, and specifications. Web browsers were designed to facilitate navigation and access to information, while information servers were designed to facilitate provision of information. Typically, web browsers and information servers are disposed in communication with one another through a communications network. Information Servers function to serve information to users that typically access the information by way of web browsers. As such, information servers typically provide information to users employing web browsers for navigating and accessing information on the web. Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are examples' of web browsers. In addition, navigation user interface devices such as WebTV have also been implemented to facilitate web navigation. Microsoft's Information Server and Apache are examples of information servers.
Universal Resource Locator (URL)
The expansion of the web has resulted in an enormous quantity of information, which is accessible through the use of Universal Resource Locators (URLs). An URL is an address that is typically embodied as a hyperlink in a web page or is typed into a web browser. URLs for a given resource (most commonly a file located on a remote computer) refer only to a location for that resource. Typically, the reference to the location is achieved through the use of an unresolved IP address in conjunction with a directory path and file name; e.g., “http://www.aWebSite.com/aFolder/aFile.html”. In this example, the URL directs the browser to connect to the computer named “www” in the domain “aWebSite.com,” and to request the file named “aFile.html” stored in directory “aFolder” at that computer.
Universal Name Identifier (UNI)
The Corporation for National Research Initiatives has created and implemented a new means of naming and locating information, called the Handle System. The Handle System is designed to improve upon the current use of URLs.
The Handle System introduces a level of indirection to locating and distributing information over the Internet. The Handle System is a general-purpose system for naming resources. Instead of being assigned a URL based on a particular resource's current network location, a resource may be assigned a Universal Name Identifier. A UNI is a form of Universal Resource Identifier (URI). URIs include both UNIs and URLs. A UNI, unlike a URL, serves and shall be regarded henceforth as a name for the resource that is persistent regardless of changes in the resource's location or other attributes. In turn, a Universal Resource Name (URN) is a type of UNI (i.e., a UNI subsumes the concept of a URN). Furthermore, a Handle is a type of URN. And a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is a type of Handle. Thus, various forms of UNIs include Handles, URNs, DOIs, and/or the like. The various terms and/or forms of UNIs will be used interchangeably throughout this document, and may be assumed to be interchangeable unless stated otherwise. A Handle is a unique name, which is registered with the Handle System along with the current network location of the named resource. This location information commonly takes the form of a URL. One common type of Handle is known as a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Handles may be then distributed to users in lieu of a URL, and superficially appear to function similarly to a hyperlink. When a user encounters a Handle, the user may select or enter the Handle much like a URL hyperlink, so long as the user's web browser is capable of making Handle requests. Such an encounter triggers an automated process to look up a resource's current location. The current location of the resource is associated with the resource's Handle in a directory made available by the Handle System, which in turn directs the user to the resource's current location. Unlike with a URL, if the resource moves, the Handle System directory entry can be updated, thereby assuring a persistent association between a Handle and the resource it identifies. An analogy can be made to the physical world: knowing only a URL for a given resource is akin to knowing only a person's street address, and not her name. If she were to move across town, it would be very difficult to locate her without knowing her name. The Handle System allows resources to be permanently named by way of a Handle, and it allows the current network location of resources to be looked up based on that name in a Handle System directory.